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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. F. WEBSTER.

MACHINE FOR FINISHING HARVBSTER FINGERS.

(No Model.) I 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. F. WEBSTER.

MACHINE FOR FINISHING HARVESTE-R FINGERS.

No. 337,802. Patented Mar. 9, 1886.

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J. F. WEBSTER. MACHINE FOR FINISHING HARVESTER FINGERS.

No. 337,802 Patented Mar. 9, 1886. v

UNITED STATES ATENT FFICE.

JOHN F. \VEBSTER, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE CHAMPION BAR AND KNIFE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

MACHINE FOR FINISHING HARVESTER-FINGERS.

fiPECIEICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 337,802, dated March 9, 18E6.

Application filed January 6, 1886. Serial No. 187,797.

(No morhl.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN F. WEBs'rER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Clark and State of Ohio,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Constructing Finger-Bars for Harvesters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the construction 0 1 finger-bars for harvesting machinery.

Theobject of my invention is to provide means for truing-up the shanks of the guard fingers, so that when secured to the finger-bar they will be uniform and in exact alignment for the cutting-knife.

In fitting up finger-bars it is essential that the cutting-surfaces of the fingers are all of a uniform height, and that the series of fingers maintain a perfect alignment, in order that the cutting-knife will work freely and accurately therein. This I accomplish by the mechanism shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an end elevation view of a ma- 2 chine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a partial plan view of the same. Fig.3 is a sectional elevation of the chucking or holding device for holding the fingers, showing the manner of applying the same. to the millingtool. Figs. 4 to 11, inclusive, are detailed views of some of the various parts, which will be referred to hereinafter.

In the said drawings,A represents the main frame, which in general construction is simi- 5 lar to the frame or bed of a common'lathe.

On the front side of the frame, at or near each end thereof, are secured guides or ways 13, on which movable heads B are adapted to slide. These heads are adapted to be raised or lowered vertically, preferably by vertical adjusting-screws a, adapted to be operated in a suitable manner from a horizontal shaft, at, provided-with a hand-screw, a, by means of which the respective heads may be raised or lowered simultaneously. (See Fig. 8.)

Supported on the movable heads B, and rigidly secured thereto by bolts or. otherwise, is the chucking mechanism 0, by which the nerd-fingers are held during the operation of 5o milling, This chucking mechanism is constructed as follows:

Extending for almost the entire length of the machine is the clamping-head 0, provided at either end with suitable ribs, to secure the necessary strength, and having on the inner sides thereof a series of openings or pockets,

I), adapted to receive the guard-fingers to be operated upon.

On the inner face of the clampinghead O is secured a longitudinal gage-strip, c, which Cc extends the entire length of the clampinghead and formstheinner or front side of the pockets 1). This gage-strip 0 is preferably made of steel, and secured to the clampinghead by screws, as shown in Fig. 4, or in any other suitable manner. At each pocket the, said strip is reduced, as shown ate, Fig. 3, in size and form to lit the slot in the guard-finger placed in the said pocket I). From the rear is a sliding piston, d, the inner end of which is 7c preferably made to conform to the bottom of the guard-finger.

Journaled in suitable bearings at the rear of each of the pistons d is a cam, d, the axle or journal (1 of which is extended above the top 7 of the clamping-head O, and provided witha square head or shank adapted to, be engaged by a suitable wrench or crank, bywhich the cam may be revolved. (See Figs. 3 and 10.)

Projectinghorizontally through the clamp- 8 ing-head C, below each of the pockets b and earns d, is a sliding pin, 6, and immediately below the sliding pin 6 is a bearing-screw,e,which also extends horizontally through the front face of the said clamping-head. These de- 8; vices and their functions will be particularly referred to hereinafter.

Supported on the top of the main frame or bed A is a traveling head, D, which .is provided with suitable bearings for a shaft, D, 9( on the end of which is secured a revolving cutter or milling-tool, D.

Means are provided for continuously revolving the milling-tool D and at the same time the traveling head D is moved longitudinally 9 along the frame A in either direction. I preferably accomplish this by means of a wormgear, f, on the end of the shaft D, adapted to engage with a worm, f, on a longitudinal driving-shaft, E, which extends along the en- It tire length .of the frame A at the side thereof. (See Figs. 2 and 7.) The shaft E is provided 2 asiaoa head D, the said projection F being bored out and internally screw-threaded to fit said screw. The feed-screw Fis journaled at either end in suitable hearings on the frame A,and projects through the frame at one end,and is provided with two'spur-gears, g and g, and a handwheel. F.

Immediately below the gears g and g is a small counter-shaft, h, supported in suitable bearings on the end ofthe frame, and provided with two spur-pinions, h h, journaled loosely thereon. (See Figs. 5. 6, and 9.) The pinion l1." meshes directly with the spur-gear g on the screw F. The pinion h, however, meshes with an intermediate gear, h, which in turn engages with the spur-gear g on the said screw. Each of the pinions h h is provided on one face with a clutch adapted to be engaged by a clutch-collar, h, which is free to move longitudinally on the shalt, but revolves positively therewith. The counter-shaft it receives its motion from the longitudinal driving-shaft E by means of a belt running on suitable cone-pulleys] and h, on the respective shafts E and h. The cone-pulley h is journaled loosely on the shaft h, and transmits its motion to said shaft through the medium of a differential gear, h. the moving parts of which are secured to said shaft and cone, respectively. By this means a very slow motion is imparted to the shaft h from a rapid movement of the driving-shaft E.

Extendi nglongitudinally above the frame A, parallel with the screw F, is a sliding rod, G, which is supported at either end in suitable bearings, in which it is adapted to slide longitudinally. Thisslidingrodpassesthroughalug or projection, 11, on the traveling head D, and is provided on either side of the said head with an adjustable collar, j, adaptedto be secu red tightly to said rod. When the traveling carriage has moved far enough in either direction, the projection i strikes the collar j,and thus moves the rod longitudinally. The rod G is provided at its end immediately over the gears" {/9 with a spring -bolt,k, which projects from said rod at right angles thereto, and bears against a pivoted lever, Zc. (See Figs. 5, 6, and 11.) This lever is is secured on the end of asmall vertical oscillating shaft, k", which is provided at its lower end with projecting arms k If, which engage with the sliding clutch-collar h on the counter-shaft h. As thesliding rod is moved longitudinally in either direction, the spring-bolt k presses against the lever at either side of its center of oscillation and forces said lever outward at this point, thus oscillating the shaft k and shifting the clutch h. A longitudinal movement of the sliding rod G in eitherdirection thus moves the c1utch collar front of said pocket.

out of engagement with one of the pinions h h" and into engagement with the other. I When the said clutch-collar is engaged with the pinion h, this pinion revolves with the countershaft, and, through the medium of the inter.-

mediate gear, h, and spur-gear g. revolves the screw F in the same direction with the counter shaft h. When, however, the rod G is shifted, thus throwing the clutch-collar h out of engagement with the pinion h and into engagement with the pinion h, the screw F is revolved in the opposite direction by reason of the direct engagement of the pinion h with the spur-gear g. The outwardlyprojecting arm kon the shaft h forms a hand-lever, by which the clutch-collar h may be'shifted in either direction, as desired, by hand. By turning the said lever so that the clutch-collar is out of engagement with both of said pinions, the screw F may be revolved in eitherdirection by the hand-wheel F The operation of the above describedmachine is as follows: The guard-fingers, having the holes drilled therein to receive the rivets which secure the said fingers to the finger-bar,

are placed in the respective pockets b in the chucking device 0, the slot in said fingers be ing placed over the guide or gage c at the The sliding pin 0 is then inserted in the lower rivet-hole of the said finger, and the finger, is then clamped tightly against the gage c by turning the cam d, thus forcing the piston d against the back of the guard, after which the bearing screw e is turned out until it rests against the finger, thus forming an additional support therefor at the lower end to prevent springing. The machine is now started, and the revolving cutter or milling-tool is drawn along by thefeedingscrew in contact with the shanks of the guardfingers, and each one of said fingers is milled ofl' exactly alike. The cuttingedge of each guard-finger being forced against the gage 0, the distance from said cutting-edge to the face of the shank is accurately gaged in each case. As the milling-tool passes each successive finger, this finger is removed from the chucking device and replaced by another, so that by the time thelast finger in the series has been milled ofl an entirely new set occupy the pockets in the chucking device. The projection i on the traveling carriage comes against the collar j on the sliding rod G, and thus reverses the motion of the feeding-screw, as before dc scribed, causing the milling-tool to travel back over the new series-of fingers, which in turn I are removed and replaced, as before, sothata continuous motion of the traveling head back and forth on the frame and a continuous operation of milling are secured. By this operation, as above described, it will be seen that the fingers may be easily, quickly, and accurately milled off .to a uniform standard.

I preferably provide the revolving shaft D with adjustable collars and bearings, as shown in Fig. 7, so that a longitudinal adjustment of the shaft may be secured to compensate for any wear in the milling-tool by grinding or otherwise.

Instead of havingthe revolving tool adapted to move past the chucking device, it is obvious that the chucking device may be adapted to move past the cutting-tool with the same result.

I claim 1. The combination, with the traveling head and the revolving cutter, of the chucking device having a series of pockets and clamping mechanism therein, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the traveling head and the revolving cutter, of the chucking device having the pockets therein, a gage-plate forming the front side of said pockets, and clamping mechanism opposite said gage-plate, adapted to press the guard-finger against said plate, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, with the traveling head and revolving cutter, of the chucking device having a series of pockets therein, a gageplate adapted to form the front of each of said pockets, a sliding piston extending into said pockets opposite said gage-plate, and means for moving said piston longitudinally, substantially as specified.

4. The combination, with the revolving cutter, of the pocket provided at the front with a gage-plate adapted to enter the slot in the guard-finger, and at the rear with a sliding piston and a cam adapted to move said piston longitudinally, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with the revolving cutter, of the pocket provided with the gage at the front thereof adapted to enter the slot in the guard-finger, a sliding pin below said pocket, adapted to engage the rivet-hole in said finger, a sliding piston extending into said pocket opposite said gage-plate, and means for moving saidsliding piston longitudinally, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. The combination, with a cutting-tool, of the pocket provided with the gage-plate, a sliding piston extending into said pocket opposite said gage-plate, a cam to operate said piston, a sliding pin, 0, and a bearing-screw, e, substantially as specified.

7. The combination, with the chucking device provided with a series of pockets therein and clamping mechanism in each of said pockets, of the traveling head having the re volving tool thereon, feeding mechanism for moving said traveling head, and means for reversing the motion of said feeding mechanism, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination, with the chucking device having a series of pockets therein, a gage-plate, and clamping mechanism in each of said pockets, of a traveling head having a revolving cutter thereon, a feeding -screw adapted to move said head, a sliding rod having variable collars thereon, adapted to be engaged by said traveling head, and clutching mechanism operated by said sliding rod, adapted to disconnect the feeding-screw from its revolving mechanism and connect the same to mechanism by which it is revolved in the opposite direction, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

9. The combination, with the chucking device having a series of pockets, and clamping mechanism therein adapted to hold the guard-fingers, of a milling-tool adjacent to said chucking device, adapted to act on the guards therein, and means for securing a continuous passing of the tool and the clamping mechanism, either by moving the said cutter in relation to the chucking device or by moving the chucking device in relation to the milling-tool, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 29th day of December, A. D. 1885.

JOHN F. WEBSTER.

Vitnesses:

F. WILLIS BAINES, CHASE STEWART. 

